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Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chains don’t limit power

(The dimly lit war room is tense with urgency. The Leader stands at the center, surrounded by holographic battle maps, his sharp eyes scanning the shifting red markers indicating the advancing army. A soldier rushes in, saluting stiffly.)

Leader (slamming his fist on the table): "What?! Someone blocked our army's route?"

Soldier (nodding urgently): "Yes, sir. Our scouts confirmed an obstruction ahead."

Leader (his eyes narrowing): "Who is it? Who dares to stand in our way?"

Soldier (hesitant): "We… we don't know yet, sir. Our reports indicate five individuals."

(The Leader grits his teeth, his jaw tightening in frustration. He paces the room, his mind racing with possibilities.)

Leader (voice rising): "Five?! Only five people are delaying an entire battalion?"

Soldier: "Yes, sir. And they're holding their ground."

(A heavy silence falls. The Leader clenches his fists, his anger barely contained.)

Leader (growling): "Arghhh! Send word to the troops—kill them all! No mercy!"

Soldier (saluting): "Understood, sir!"

(The scene shifts abruptly, transitioning to the battlefield where the five figures stand, defiant against the advancing army.)

(Scene: The Battlefield – The Reveal of Yearsun Cisco)

(The battlefield is a storm of chaos—soldiers rushing forward, weapons drawn, their war cries piercing the air. Dust and smoke rise in the wake of the oncoming battle. In the center, five figures stand firm, unwavering. Suddenly, one of them—Yearsun Cisco—drops his chains, revealing his true identity.)

Kazen, Izaki, and Hellesa (eyes widening in shock): "What?!"

(Before they can react, Cisco moves like a blur. He drives his fist into Kazen's gut, sending him staggering back. Without hesitation, he lunges at Hellesa, blade flashing in the dim light. But Izaki intercepts, their weapons clashing with a deafening metallic ring.)

Hellesa (slashing her claws at Cisco): "You traitor!"

(Cisco dodges with inhuman speed, sidestepping every attack. Before they can adjust, he vanishes—teleporting behind Kazen. Cisco's blade gleams as he presses it against Kazen's throat, his voice dripping with control.)

Cisco (coldly): "If you want him alive… surrender to me."

(Hellesa hesitates, her claws twitching, her breath sharp with uncertainty. But Izaki, his fury outweighing his fear, steps forward defiantly.)

Izaki (gritting his teeth): "Never."

(With a roar, Izaki charges. Cisco pivots, meeting his attack head-on. Their swords clash, sparks flying. But as Cisco deflects Izaki's strike, Kazen seizes the moment. He breaks free, his blade flashing downward, slicing through Cisco's foot.)

(Cisco stumbles, a snarl escaping his lips as he crashes onto one knee. Blood seeps into the dust, but his eyes burn with defiance.)

Cisco (panting): "I lost my leg… but not my will to fight!"

(With a grunt of effort, he forces himself back up. His grip tightens around his blade, and before anyone can react, he drives it straight into Izaki's chest—hitting the same wound from before.)

Izaki (screaming in agony): "Aaarghhh!!"

(He crumples to the ground, his breath ragged. Hellesa's eyes widen in horror. Fueled by desperation, she launches herself at Cisco, aiming to pierce his throat. But Cisco—eyes gleaming with bloodlust—catches her strike with his bare hand. He doesn't even flinch as the sharp claws dig into his palm.)

(Kazen rushes forward, attempting to strike, but Cisco catches his wrist effortlessly with his other hand.)

Cisco (smirking): "Too weak. Accept your defeat already."

(Without hesitation, Cisco lifts Kazen off the ground, his grip tightening around his throat. Hellesa attacks again, her strikes relentless, but Cisco deflects each one with deadly precision.)

(Scene: The Turning Point – Izaki's Last Stand)

(The air crackles with tension. Cisco, still holding Kazen in his grip, watches with amusement as Hellesa struggles to land a hit. The battle seems lost.)

(Then… movement. A shadow rises from the blood-stained ground.)

(Izaki—his body battered, his breathing ragged—pushes himself up, driven by sheer determination. His eyes lock onto Cisco, burning with resolve. In one swift, decisive motion, he lunges forward, gripping his sword tightly.)

(Before Cisco can react, Izaki's blade pierces straight through his heart.)

(Time seems to slow. Cisco's body stiffens, his eyes widening in shock. And then, as if sealing the final blow, Izaki clenches his fist and drives it into Cisco's face, sending him staggering back. Blood spills from his lips as he stumbles, his strength draining away.)

(He collapses at Hellesa's feet, motionless.)

(A thick silence blankets the battlefield. The distant sounds of war fade into the background. For a moment, none of them move—none of them dare to breathe.)

(Scene: The Aftermath – The Incoming Threat)

(Kazen, still gasping for air, staggers toward Cisco's lifeless body. His hands tremble as he reaches down and yanks a small device from Cisco's belt—a communicator. It vibrates, an incoming call flashing on the screen.)

(Hellesa steps beside him, peering down at the device. The battlefield remains eerily silent, the weight of their victory feeling unsettling. Izaki, barely holding himself up, watches with narrowed eyes.)

Kazen (softly): "We should answer it."

(The screen flickers, the distorted voice on the other end breaking through the silence.)

??? (through the communicator): "Report, Cisco. Have they been eliminated?"

(Kazen grips the communicator tighter, exchanging a glance with Hellesa and Izaki. The three of them remain still, contemplating their next move. The enemy still believes Cisco is alive.)

??? (impatiently): "Cisco. Respond immediately. The army is en route."

(Kazen's breath catches in his throat. His hands shake slightly as he clicks a button on the communicator, cutting off the transmission. He looks up, his face pale.)

Hellesa (whispering): "They're coming."

(Izaki exhales sharply, forcing himself to stand straighter despite the pain coursing through his body. He clenches his fists, his expression hardening.)

Izaki (determined): "Then we don't have much time."

(The three of them exchange knowing looks. Their fight isn't over. If anything, it has only just begun.)

(As the scene fades to black, the distant sound of marching soldiers fills the air, signaling the storm that is yet to come.)

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